The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-30
SHE DREAMED OF WEALTH
THE STORY TOLD OF MISS ANNA
PADGETT, OF BROOKLYN

And the Next Morning the Family
Read of Old Mr. Beams Millions and
His Will-Aiiss Padgett's Mother
Thinks They May be Interested in 1t
The Story of Thomas Bean and the
Search for Heirs to His Estate
From the New York World.
ITO dream of receiving money" says one
of those yellow-colored volumes of alleged
wisdom generally known as dream books,
sis positive prophecy that your wealth
will be increased"
Whatever bit of chance truth this produc-
ton may contain, it at any rate possesses
certain amount of interest for young lady
in Brooklyn, who is anxiously awaiting
practical test of the witch warning.
The lady in question is Miss Anna Pad
gett, of No. 12S Douglass street. Some
nights ago, just after retiring, she fell into
gentle doze and. as sleep visions go, the
form of a stranger suddenly arose before
her and announced, in a matter-of-fact but
courteous manner, that she had been favored
with bequest of $1,000 from a former
relative Somewhat incredulous, she asked
for proof, ami the stranger, producing
number of documents, placed them in her
hands and then vanished. Miss Padgett
took up the papers and was about 70 read
an inscription on the back of one OF them
when--as is generally the case-she awoke,
and with her slumber went her new-1ound
wealth
The next morning she related her dream,
with all its startling features at the break
fast table, and while the remainder of the
family were ouizzing her, one of them, who
had been scanning the World, read aloud
an article headed Beams Undivided Mil
lions" The latter set forth that new de-
velopments had come to light in the famous
Thomas Bean estate matter through the
discovery of a will which disposed of the
property of 100000 in an evidently equit-
able manner, 81 900, 900 being given to an
aunt of the testator, Nancy c. Gee, and the
remaining million being divided into five
equal parts.
This piece of news fell like bombshell in
the family gathering.
why, my grandmother's name was
Nancy c. Gee" exclaimed Mrs. Padgett,
land the name is so uncommon that L am
inclined to think she must be the person
designated in the will
The article was again gone over with
more care, and this time it was discovered
that it was i'll the form of a special tele-
graphic dispatch to the World from Bon
ham, Tex, where the property is located,
and where the testator, Thomas Bean, re
sided for many years. The latter died IN
August last, and after his demise no Will
could be found. More than one claimant
bobbed up for the property, the most prom
inent of whom were relatives In Washing
ton. D. c., and a man named J. w. Saun-
ders who asserted that he was brother or
the dead man, and added that the latter
had changed his name from Saunders to
Bean forty years ago because he had killed
man in Tennessee and therefore desired to
bide his identity.
Saunders story was believed by many
and preparations were being made to dis
pose of the property by the courts, Saun-
ders having given notice that he would
contest for the estate, when the will turned
up last week 1t had been dated Aug. 10,
1887, and addressed Smith 81 Taylor, Bon
ham, Tex, and mailed the same day on a
train of the Santa Fe railway There being
no firm known as Smith & Taylor" in
Bonham, the viii went to the dead-letter
Office at Washington, where it remained
until its identity was discovered, and OF in
formation it was found to lie intended for
Col. Robert Taylor and S. n. Smith of Bon
nam, Tex.
The document was Immediately filed, and
the fact made known that the testator de-
sired 81 ,000,00 to go to his aunt, Nancy G.
Gee, of Washington county, Texas, and the
other million divided equally. one-fifth
going to the churches of Fannin county,
Texas, one-fifth to be divided among Beams
former slaves, one-ffth among the poor
children of Fannin county for educational
purposes, one fifth to Fannin county, and
one-fifth to the executors, Col. Robert
Taylor and S. NJ. Smith. Accompanying
the will was note from w. c. Pierpont,
dated Burnett county, Texas, which stated
that the document had been properly exc
cuted by him, and was the last will and
testament of Thomas Beau
The reception OF ethe papers only tended
to muddle matters the more. as it cut off
the present claimants entirely and gave
one-half the estate TO a person who is not
known to any, although few persons have
been found who have heard of Nancy G..
Gee long time ago. Then again, w. c.
Pierpont, who claimed to have executed the
will, could not be found. Saunders and the
other claimants have not been deferred
by the appearance of the document and will
appear in court to-day at Bonham to contest
the matter.
81 feel convinced" said Mrs Padgett,
''that the Nancy G. Gee mentioned in the
will is my grandmother, because the name
is rather novel and have never known any
other person TO bear it except myself. My
name before marriage was Annie NJ. Gee, but
was NoAioti AllbO ANullNys was bOl u ttAlu
always resided in Washington, d. c., until
seven years ago, when came to Brooklyn.
hove e brother in the naval service at
Annapolis and a married sister III Baltimore.
None of our relatives to my knowledge ever
settled in Texas and none of them was
named Saunders or Bean. had an uncle,
however, named Sanderson, who went
away somewhere years ago, and
think probably he and Bean are
identical and that he, being very old at
his death, either forgot or was not aware
that Nancy G. Gee was dead and willed her
half of his prope ty, and designated her of
Washington county instead of Washington,
d. c. II is very complicated matter and
we would not probably have paid so much
attention to it but for the very vivid and
peculiar dream of my daughter. l have
communicated with my relatives in the
South and will institute an investigation,
and, if the facts warrant it, file claim for
my share of the property. My grandmother,
Nancy c, Gee, died about thirty years ago."
How They Bake Beans in Boston.